This is Dry Needling
Dry needling is a treatment method that helps you with muscle-related problems and pain. The method is often used in combination with other treatments to quickly and effectively reduce various symptoms and complaints.
Dry needling is a more modern treatment method than acupuncture. Using thin steel needles, often as thin as 0.25 to 0.5 millimeters, the skin is punctured at selected sites.
The needles are used on trigger points in the muscles. These are places in the muscles that are harder or knobblier than they should be. The purpose of the needles is to help the muscles relax and function normally.
When the needles are placed in the skin, the therapist spins them to break up the fibers and reduce the tension around the cells in the muscle. They are then left in place for a short time. Exactly how long depends on your needs.
What dry needling helps with
The main reason why you should be treated with dry needling is that the treatment can reduce pain and tension in the muscles and connective tissue.
Common areas of use on the body are around the neck, shoulders, back and legs.
By increasing blood circulation in the area being treated, healing time can be reduced for muscular injuries. The body's natural healing process is activated as the needles penetrate the skin, reducing or eliminating inflammation more quickly.
Here are some symptoms that dry needling helps with:
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Muscle pain
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Headaches
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Neck pain
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Lower back pain
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Muscle rupture
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Knee pain
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Carpal tunnel syndrome
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Tennis and golf elbow
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Shin splints
Dry needling treats more symptoms than those listed here. Contact us for a free consultation on whether the method is suitable for your particular problems so that we can help you in the best possible way.
Dry needling is not painful
When the needles puncture the skin, you may feel a stinging sensation. How much you notice them depends on how sensitive your skin is. With normal treatment, it does not hurt.
What you may experience is a twitching of the muscles. This is perfectly normal and is a reaction to the needle hitting a trigger point.
When you have finished the treatment, you may see small marks on the skin where the needles have been inserted. Sometimes combined with the following for a short time:
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Bruising
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Soreness
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Sensitivity of the skin
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Sensitivity to movement
In most cases, the person being treated feels nothing at all. A tip is to drink water immediately and rest immediately after the treatment. Fatigue and thirst are not uncommon after dry needling.
The difference between dry needling and acupuncture
Acupuncture is a treatment method that originated in China. It has been around for thousands of years, unlike dry needling which is a more modern method.
Both use needles, the difference is where they are placed and why.
In acupuncture, the needles are used in specific acupuncture points while dry needling is mainly used in active trigger points and stiff muscles.
How quickly you notice a positive difference
Many people feel a positive difference already after the first treatment. Often immediately or within one or two days.
The full effect will only be felt after a number of treatments. The exact number depends entirely on your body and the reason why you are being treated with dry needling. Expect at least two, but sometimes up to six sessions before you see a really big effect.
As a general rule, the longer you have had your condition being treated, the longer it will take to achieve the maximum effect of the dry needling treatment.
How to relieve the soreness after treatment
If you feel sore in your skin or muscles after treatment, there are some simple tricks to reduce the feeling.
One tip is to take a warm shower after the treatment and use a heating pad to warm up the area where the needles have been inserted.
You can also stretch the treated muscle groups for 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times a day. This helps the body to stretch the fibers between the affected muscle cells and reduce soreness.
When you should not be treated with dry needling
Dry needling is a treatment method that suits most people. However, there are some situations where treatment with needles is not the best option.
For example, if you are taking blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder. Needle treatment is also not suitable for areas that are damaged or infected.
Are you unsure or want to know more about the treatment method?
With a free consultation, we go through the entire treatment process and you can tell us about symptoms, muscle problems and other details that will help us guide you to the right treatment. You go to a booking page to book a time by the click of the button below.